The Pittsburgh Steelers have thrived under head coach Mike Tomlin. In his 17 seasons at the helm, they have never had a losing season, an extraordinary feat in the highly competitive NFL. However, a common criticism is that the team has not won a playoff game since the 2016 campaign, despite having talented rosters.
While many in the national media hold Tomlin in high regard and praise him as one of the greatest coaches of all time, some Steelers fans have grown frustrated with his leadership. They believe he struggles to prepare his teams for big games, a notion that couldn’t be further from the truth. Tomlin’s leadership and impressive resume speak for themselves, despite some unfortunate moments over the past decade.
Despite some fans’ hopes for a change, the Steelers organization remains confident in Tomlin. They signed him to a three-year contract extension this offseason, ensuring he will be the head coach through the 2027 season.
For those looking to highlight their flaws, Ray Fittipaldo joined in The Joe Starkey Show to discuss some of Tomlin’s biggest failures.
“Mike Tomlin picks his staff. There’s no input from management or ownership when it comes to hiring assistant coaches. As far as the draft goes, I understand Mike Tomlin has more influence than other head coaches, but Kevin Colbert (and now Omar Khan), Art Rooney II, they’re all the ones who ultimately make that decision, especially in the case of a No. 1 pick.”
The first mistake Fittipaldo highlighted is Tomlin’s approach to selecting his staff. Fittipaldo revealed that Tomlin has complete control over his hires. The decision to appoint offensive coordinator Matt Canada and retain him despite his significant shortcomings is a major stain on Tomlin’s record.
Fittipaldo didn’t entirely blame Tomlin for the team’s draft mistakes, but he did single out the decision to select Kenny Pickett as a notable misstep in Tomlin’s career.
“But Mike Tomlin watched Kenny Pickett grow up. He thought he could help this team, and it turns out he wasn’t ready for that. When you look at Mike Tomlin’s transgressions, I’d put Canada at the top of the list, with Pickett probably a spot or two lower.”
Tomlin has more influence on draft decisions than most head coaches, but he doesn’t have the final say. In the 2022 NFL Draft, when the Steelers selected Pickett in the first round, they were in fact in need of a quarterback. Despite a weak quarterback class, the Steelers were enamored with Pickett, who had played college football at Pitt and was well-known in the organization.
Pickett struggled in his two seasons with Pittsburgh, primarily due to Canada’s ineffective offensive system. Both issues are reflected in Tomlin, as he was aware of the system’s shortcomings when the Steelers drafted Pickett. While the team was likely set on drafting Pickett, knowing the offense he was facing should have motivated a different approach.
Steelers’ Mike Tomlin should have fired Matt Canada earlier
Many argue that Canada should have been fired earlier, a major failure often blamed on Tomlin. Pickett’s struggles were evident, with just 13 passing touchdowns and 13 interceptions in two seasons. After Canada was fired midway through the 2023 season, Pickett had one of his best games before getting injured. Negative reports about Pickett subsequently surfaced, leading to his off-season trade to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Despite some fans’ discontent with Tomlin, his resume is impressive. He’s been a great head coach, but he’s recently faced significant challenges in the postseason. The 2024 season will be crucial for Tomlin; if the Steelers don’t win a playoff game with their current roster, fan discontent is likely to intensify.
